Assistant Principal Special Education

**Position Information**:
Merimbula Public School is situated in the heart of Merimbula, a coastal tourism capital of the Sapphire Coast on the Far South Coast of NSW. The school's enrolment is 372 students. Enrolments include mainstream students, gifted and talented students, Aboriginal students (8%), students who are from non-English speaking backgrounds (8%), who speak languages other than English (2%), as well as, students with additional learning needs, some of whom access additional support whilst working within one of our school's four support classes.

Our staff and school community demonstrate connectedness, inclusion and a collective responsibility to optimising learning, ensuring that children and young people are at the centre of all of our decision making.

Merimbula Public School has embraced innovative technology and has world class: facilities; spaces for sport and physical education, including a skateboard/scooter/cycling pump track; technology lab; flexible classroom and library learning spaces; IWBs, laptops, iPads and Chromebooks available in all learning spaces to support face-to-face and online learning initiatives; and quality literacy, numeracy and extra-curricular resources available to all students. A sensory garden, vegetable garden and chicken pen is also located on the grounds, supporting our life skills, cooking and sustainability programs.

The school provides a caring, friendly and engaging environment whereby students, through high impact teaching programs, experience a variety of academic and extra-curricular opportunities designed to cater for their individual needs. Our specialist teachers ensure the delivery of dynamic physical education, music and Japanese language programs. The school's curriculum provision supports high expectations for student learning and curriculum is further enhanced via learning support programs and alliances with other schools and organisations.

**Selection Criteria**:
In addition to the general selection criteria,

1. Approval to teach special education and/or experience teaching students with autism, physical disabilities, sensory needs, challenging behaviours, mental health needs and mild, moderate and/or severe intellectual disabilities (K-6).

2. High level organisational skills and a demonstrated ability to balance class teaching and the complex administrative role of an Executive in Special Education.

3. Ability to lead innovative learning and sport/physical education programs in a multi-aged classroom of students with a range of complex needs whilst demonstrating flexibility with teaching strategies, sudden changes in learning needs and the experience to remain calm under pressure.

4. Strong interpersonal and communication skills with demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with parents, therapists, agencies and other schools to develop and evaluate personalised learning, behaviour, health care, risk management and transition plans.

5. Demonstrated ability to lead teams in the development of personalised learning and support plans for students and in the implementation of dynamic student wellbeing programs, including but not limited to Positive Behaviour for Learning.

6. Ability to lead a team in developing and implementing high impact literacy and numeracy programs, embedding ICT, that are differentiated to meet the needs of students with various disabilities in a multi-aged classroom setting.

**General Selection Criteria**:
1. Successful teaching experience with capacity to initiate improvement in teaching, learning and classroom practice
2. Knowledge of curriculum, assessment and student welfare with the ability to lead and design quality, inclusive teaching and learning programs
3. Educational leadership skills to build the capacity and manage the performance of individuals and teams
4. Well developed communication and interpersonal skills with the capacity to build relationships and engage students, staff and parents
5. Ability to plan and manage resources effectively and equitably to support teaching and learning
6. Knowledge of and commitment to the Department's Aboriginal education policies

**Conditions**:
**Special Notes**:
**About the NSW Department of Education